Eco-friendly business ideas, new products, and issues relevant to "green-minded" salons.

ROB|B Earns LEED Certification

ROB|B: An OPI Concept Salon in Studio City, Calif., was awarded the highly coveted LEED certification, which provides independent, third-party verification that a building project meets the highest green building and performance measures.

Sure it’s lovely, but it’s eco-friendly to boot. ROB|B: An OPI Concept Salon in Studio City, Calif., was awarded the highly coveted LEED certification, which provides independent, third-party verification that a building project meets the highest green building and performance measures. To meet these standards, owner Robbie Schaeffer incorporated a range of sustainable design elements into his new 3,000-square-foot salon including the following:

• Eco-friendly materials were used for the steel frame, floor, and sinks.

• Furnishings are made of plyboo (laminated bamboo plywood).

• Most wood used for construction — from stair treads to countertops — were made from bamboo and bamboo fibers.

• All other wood sources were shipped from an Oregon lumberyard that complies with environmentally friendly standards.

• Walls are made of recyclable materials.

• Upstairs event patio space features turf made of recycled paper suspended three inches off the ground.

•The water system located between floors recycles and pumps water to fountains.